A Woman to Woman Article
Imitate God
We are created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26). He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how we should live. Yes, we are to walk like God walks and talk like God talks in order to be healthy and happy (Eph. 5:1; 1 Peter 4:11). Paul wrote this to the Ephesians: “Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph. 5:1-2).
What an awesome thing Christ did. He gave His life as a sacrifice for us, so that when we live to please Him every day, this is our sacrifice of righteousness for Him. As a result, our sins are forgiven (Heb. 13:16).
We are admonished in Ephesians 5:8 to “walk as children of light.” What does this mean? The answer is in the next two verses. Ephesians 5:9-10 say: “For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
To learn what pleases the Lord is very important. It consists of studying the Scriptures daily by subject (2 Tim. 2:15 KJV; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Ephesians 5:15 says: “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men [or women], but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
Are we doing our best for God with each and every hour that passes? Are we performing acts of kindness and love and saying good words continually to glorify God in thought and in deed? Ephesians 5:17 tells us not to be foolish, but understand what the Will of the Lord is. Good words and kind deeds are His Will, and we are to do them in Jesus Christ’s name for God’s glory (Col. 3:17).
We want to do all we do with the right attitude. See Ephesians 5:18-20: “...Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” It pleases God to do all we do in word and deed with an attitude of thankfulness and a happy heart.
God is telling us to put on the new self with all these Scriptures. We are laying aside the old self and truly overcoming evil when we are doing good, which is putting on the new self in the likeness of God (Eph. 4:22, 24; Psalm 37:27).
Let us sing a happy song,
Let’s be thankful all day long.
Making music in our heart,
Gives each day a brand new start.
It’s a song of thankfulness,
It’s the Way of righteousness.
Live to please the Lord above,
Walking in His Ways of love.